Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
by Indy Croft
Summary: Three years later, strange hauntings at a San Francisco dock marks the beginning of a new danger...
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I'm merely using them to entertain you. Now, watch as I use my powerful commanding skills to make them do tricks. Jump, Johnny, Jump! See! By Grabthar's Hammer, what skill!  
  
Well, here we go again. This wasn't planned, but since there were a couple of requests, I've started working on a sequel. I hope it turns out the way you want.  
  
And now for a taste of things to come….  
  
  
  
Devil and the Deep Blue Sea  
  
Sequel to Devil's Destiny  
  
By: Indy  
  
  
  
James Carn wasn't afraid of much. After surviving the great depression, the second world war, and five children, he felt confident there was nothing he couldn't handle. He was a reminiscent man, and enjoyed sitting in quiet areas staring off into nothing, living more in the past than the present. Being a navy lover since he was a boy, James got most comfort from the rolling sea, and spent as much of his time next to the waves as he could.  
  
So when he couldn't sleep that night, the 70 year-old seaman got dressed and put his dog, Shaw, on a leash. In ten minutes, they were walking along the dock of the abandoned pier. The sea breeze was bitter cold, an odd feeling in the middle of summer on the west coast. A low fog was rolling in, and Shaw seemed intent on a new smell. The salt air made Carn relax, and he inhaled deeply. His body quickly lost its tension; the smacking of waves against the wooden shafts made him drowsy and calm. The sky then split, and rain poured upon the old man.  
  
"What the devil?" He looked into the sky to find brilliant stars and the pale moon above. Not a cloud floated in sight. So stunned he was that he wasn't quick enough to grab the leash as it was pulled from his hands. Shaw suddenly ran down the dock, barking wildly.  
  
"Shaw! Shaw, get back here!" Momentarily forgetting the odd phenomenon, and grumbling and swearing like only a sailor could, Carn followed as quickly as possible till he found the young beagle growling viciously at a dark shadow. Carn seized the leash and tried to pull the dog back.  
  
"Shaw, quit it!" When he finally managed to get the beagle pulled away, he looked up to see what caused such a ruckus. Surprisingly, there was another person at the dock. Back to him, the frame was that of a woman's, and she seemed to have her head in her hands.  
  
"Oh, oh I'm terribly sorry, ma'am. I wasn't aware anyone else came out here this late."  
  
The woman made no reply. In fact, she didn't even seem to move.  
  
"Ma'am? Are you ok?" In his concern, Carn stepped forward and placed his hand on her shoulder…  
  
…to watch it move right through her form. Carn stepped back in shock, and suddenly the woman was facing him. Her left leg was missing, but more terrifying was to find she had no head. Carn felt a scream of fear climbing in his throat, and then he was staring at the barrel of a gun, pointed at him by the headless woman. A gunshot echoed in the night, and Carn's body jumped. He looked at his shirt and found no blood. He looked behind him in time to see another body fall to the deck. He watched the wave of blonde hair flutter to the dock, and as the sky was illuminated with a flash of lightning, his eyes caught the bright red against the white skin.  
  
There was a terrible crash of thunder, so horrid to his ears that it made Carn fall to his knees, and when he looked up, the rain had stopped and the two women faded away like fog burned by the sun.  
  
Frightened and concerned about his sanity, Carn began pulling on Shaw's leash roughly, forcing him to walk back. But the water in his eyes was making it hard to see where he was going, and he began to slip on the wet planks.  
  
His heart froze at the ear piercing scream that fell upon him, and he turned sharply toward the source. His head fell to his feet a moment later.  
  
A little pup beagle ran off into the darkness whimpering, and the rain stopped. 


	2. Welcome Back to Frisco

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I'm merely using them to entertain you. And in the tone of a public broadcasting service announcer, this story has been brought to you by Exploding Charlie Sheen Productions. "I'm not doing this again!"  
  
  
  
The sun was streaming through the thin white curtains, illuminating the room in colors of pale pink, light blue, and soft yellow. A gentle breeze lifted the curtains and rubbed them against each other in a quiet caress, bringing with it the scent of sweet peas from below the window.  
  
But he didn't care about that. As wonderful as the air smelled and the sun felt washing over his head, all he wanted to do was roll over and go back to bed. After all, that dream was quite a pleasant one, and he'd rather experience it again than spend time brooding about it over breakfast. Of course, someone else had other plans…  
  
"OOF!" The breath left him in such a rush he wondered if he would pass out.  
  
"Morning, Johnny!" the little girl giggled as she bounced on his stomach. "Come on, get up! It's ten o'clock already!"  
  
"And I had my alarm set for noon, so it's too early. Now bugger off!" a deep voice replied, slightly muffled from the covers he kept over his head.  
  
"Aw, come on, now! You promised to take me to the carnival!" she whined, and began pulling at the sheets. There was tug that kept the sheets back, so she pulled harder. "Johnny…" she growled.  
  
"Rargh!" He flew up into a sitting position with a roar and pushed the screaming girl back onto the bottom of the bed and tickled her.  
  
"No, don't!" the child laughed and retaliated with flying feet. One well-placed kick caught the muscular man in the chin and he fell back onto the pillows, momentarily stunned.  
  
"Ow." Then he slid off the side of the bed into an ungraceful heap on the floor.  
  
Kaoru laughed at the theatrics of her companion and guardian, and she fell onto the floor next to him as she placed a kiss on his forehead. "You're silly," she smiled and pulled at a stray strand of hair.  
  
"I know."  
  
"Kaoru, angel, is he up yet?"  
  
"Yes," she called downstairs. "Sort of…"  
  
"Well, tell him to hurry up and get down here. Breakfast will be ready in twenty."  
  
"Ok!" Kaoru poked his shoulder. "You heard the nice lady. Get up."  
  
"Aw, but Mom, I'm comfy here!" Johnny whined. Suddenly he grabbed her and pulled her into a ball before resting his head on her stomach. "Especially now that I have this really big pillow."  
  
"Hey! Get off me!" Kaoru giggled as she tried to get away, and the two wrestled for a few minutes. When Johnny finally surrendered, the ten-year- old girl left the room as Johnny headed for the shower. He walked out fifteen minutes later to the scent of fresh pancakes and waffles. He dressed quickly and headed down into the kitchen, where he was met with a steaming plate of eggs, bacon, and pancakes.  
  
"Oh, I want that."  
  
Soft laughter filled his ears and he kissed the slender woman's cheek as he sat at the table and began to dig in.  
  
"Chew your food, darling."  
  
"I am!" Johnny mumbled around a mouthful of food.  
  
"When I woke up this morning, I thought I was only tending to one child."  
  
"I'm a little boy at heart."  
  
"Who I'm still waiting to see grow up."  
  
"Oh, I don't care what you say. You love me and you know it, Aunt Susan."  
  
She laughed again as she set to cleaning up the pans. A kind-hearted lady at the young age of 65, Susan was the perfect mother, and had acted as such since Johnny's parents died when he was sixteen. After all, she was the only living relative of his, and therefore the only one to take him.  
  
"Well, you do give me such wonderful things at Christmas," she allowed. She put the pan into the dishwasher, wiped her hands on her towel, and walked over to her nephew. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she gave him a tight hug. "And I'm so glad you finally came back to visit me."  
  
"You know I can't stay away from your cooking."  
  
She pulled away and sat in a nearby chair. A heavy sigh left her and she stared at the young actor. "I didn't think you'd come back to San Francisco though."  
  
Johnny paused in his eating and looked at the pleasant woman. "Susan…"  
  
"I know, I know it's been a couple of years since… everything, but…" Another sigh. "You've changed so much, John, and I just got worried."  
  
A wide smile spread across his face as he reached over and grabbed hold of her hand. "Don't worry 'bout me, Love. I'm fine. The kid keeps me in line." He began looking around the room. "Speaking of the little rascal, where'd she disappear off to?"  
  
"She's upstairs in her room, waiting for you to whisk her off to this carnival she's been raving about," Susan replied with a dismissive hand gesture.  
  
"Then I shouldn't keep her waiting." Johnny finished his food, placed his plate in the sink, and called to the Japanese child.  
  
"When can I expect you back?" Susan asked from behind him.  
  
"I don't know. It depends on how long it takes to wear her out." Johnny smiled as he picked up his keys. "But I'll call and let you know if we stay later than four."  
  
"Ok. Have a good time."  
  
  
  
The festivities were a thrill, and Johnny was kept amused by fans while Kaoru stuck to playing games and going on rides. After his last film, the award winning mega hit movie Mortal Kombat, Johnny Cage was not labeled a fake anymore (except by the few diehard critics that wanted to make his life miserable) and he had become one of the most popular and among the best looking actors on the planet, not to forget being the most eligible bachelor around. So it wasn't a surprise that the fans found him, even under an attempted disguise of a backwards hat and new sunglasses, his old ones being too obviously him. And Kaoru didn't mind the publicity, either. While at first many viewers found it odd that a single rich male actor would up and adopt a child so suddenly, and the same people who called him fake started calling him gay, they soon forgot about the child and focused only on the life of their favorite actor. So when Johnny was signing autographs, Kaoru would go off to short distances and enjoy a bit of freedom as she walked the shops, checked out the games, and made a list in her mind of what rides she wanted to go on next.  
  
Unfortunately, a sudden storm blew in, and the sky cracked with thunder as rain drizzled down, soaking the masses instantly. The rides shut down and the booths closed up as the crowd dispersed. As they were walking back to the car, Kaoru mentioned being hungry, so they stopped in a restaurant to get a snack.  
  
It only took a moment for the action hero to be recognized, and the manager was more than ready to serve the two anything they desired, free of charge. Kaoru smiled and thanked him politely while Johnny rolled his eyes. He loved the public, especially when they adored him, but sometimes their gushing affection was nauseating.  
  
The few other occupants in the restaurant came over to ask questions, and while at first he wanted to be left alone, Johnny had to admit that the topics of conversation were enjoyable, and even Kaoru seemed to be enjoying herself.  
  
"Do you believe in ghosts, Mr. Cage?"  
  
Johnny turned to the waiter, who had served some drinks and sat down to join the chat. "I'm sorry?"  
  
"Ghosts. Apparitions. Lost souls and the like."  
  
An image of the tournament came into his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. "Ghosts, huh? No, I'd have to say I don't." Gods, yes, ghosts, not really.  
  
"So you think there's a real culprit behind the murders at the docks?"  
  
Now Johnny was startled. "What murders?"  
  
Everyone stared at him for a moment. "It's been all over the news," one diner supplied. "People being beheaded or shot or stabbed at the Wendel and Martin Docking Arena. They're been taking place for about a month now."  
  
Johnny noticed the shiver that went through Kaoru at the mention of the dock, and it reflected his own.  
  
"That dock is a curse, if you ask me," an older gentleman cut in. "They should tear it down and put in some kind of office building, or something."  
  
"No one would work there, everyone knows that place is haunted."  
  
"There's no such thing as ghosts, Alicia."  
  
"Tell that to the people who've died, Mark."  
  
The young couple began bickering, with other diners adding their two cents.  
  
"Kaoru…" Johnny motioned to leave, wanting to get them out of there before Kaoru heard anymore.  
  
"Who is haunting the docks?" the little girl suddenly asked, ignoring Johnny's un-thrilled look.  
  
"The people from the quadruple murder from three years ago. Two girls keep showing up and terrorizing the place. I heard they were enemies who killed each other, but apparently their mutual hatred has kept them stalking each other even in the afterlife."  
  
"If you go after dark, people say it'll start raining, even on a cloudless night, and then the two women will appear, attack each other, then disappear as if nothing had happened."  
  
Kaoru stared in shock. "What do they look like?" she asked curiously, and, Johnny thought, hopefully.  
  
"Kaoru." He tried to make his voice stern, but he was feeling dizzy from the conversation, trying not to remember the night she died.  
  
Again she ignored him and focused intently on the older man who sat next to her.  
  
"No one's really sure, because usually there's this creeping fog that rolls in. But a friend of mine said he saw the Army lieutenant who was shot, and a dark being that walked around with no head."  
  
Everyone in the room jumped as Johnny's cell went off.  
  
"Hello," he answered with relief. "Yeah, we were just staying out of the rain. Yep. Ok." He hung up and stood, throwing some money on the table as he took Kaoru's hand. "Time to go."  
  
Kaoru nodded quietly. They bade their goodbyes and walked out.  
  
It was a quiet walk to the car. The rain was still falling lightly onto the pavement with soft slaps, and it provided the only continuous noise until Kaoru suddenly spoke up.  
  
"Do you think-"  
  
"No."  
  
"But people-"  
  
"No."  
  
"Could we maybe-"  
  
"No."  
  
Kaoru huffed and kicked at a stone in the street. "I thought men weren't scared of anything."  
  
Johnny stopped and looked down at her. "I'm not scared," he said firmly.  
  
"Then why-"  
  
"Stories, Kaoru. It's all just stories the locals tell tourists to give them a spook. Drop it already."  
  
"I want to see."  
  
Johnny threw his arms in the air and began walking away. "Oh, don't start this."  
  
"What if it's true, Johnny? What if they really are haunting the place? What if they're the ones doing the murders?"  
  
"Sonya wouldn't kill innocent people!"  
  
"Which means it has to be Nise and Sonya's just trying to stop her!"  
  
Johnny started for a minute, finding it weird hearing her name without the san at the end, like how Kaoru used to say it. He looked again at the girl who was practically pleading to him, stopped, and kneeled beside her. "Kaoru, they are dead. They're gone, ok? No one's haunting the dock, it's all just stories."  
  
"I want to know for sure," she retorted defiantly.  
  
"And I don't want you getting hurt."  
  
"Walking away without knowing hurts the most."  
  
Johnny shook his head. "I'm not taking you."  
  
"Fine. I'll go on my own. I can take care of myself," she huffed as she crossed her arms.  
  
The stubborn determination in her voice caught his attention. God, she sounds just like her.  
  
"I won't take the chance with people being attacked at the docks. Besides, you'll only go down there with hopes high, and when you find out it's all a joke, you'll come back completely heartbroken." He stood up. "My decision is final. You're not going, and it's best for you if you just forget about it." He began walking back to the car.  
  
"Oh, don't you dare do this to protect me, Johnny Cage!"  
  
Heart in throat, Johnny froze on the sidewalk.  
  
Sonya's glare was more prominent in the setting sun. Oh, don't you dare do this to protect me, Johnny Cage…  
  
He turned to face the upset child. "What did you say?"  
  
"Sonya meant a lot to me. She still does today. Without her, I may not be alive right now, and I think I owe it to her to know if she needs help, even if it's just to help her move on. This is very important to me, more so than your action hero heroics, and I'm going to see if she really is trapped in some weird nightmare thing that she can't get out of! And I'll do it with or without your help!" With that, the girl suddenly stalked past him in a tuff of anger.  
  
Johnny stood dazed. As if that weird déjà vu occurrence wasn't enough, now Kaoru was yelling at him, something she had never done before… well, except when they first met… and it left him freaked out. For a moment, he actually felt like Sonya was talking, no, yelling at him through the ten- year-old girl.  
  
He knew the first thing he was going to do when they got back to the house was to get a stiff drink.  
  
  
  
Once they arrived home, Kaoru had stormed right up to her room and locked herself inside. Johnny tried to talk to her in the car, but she was refusing adamantly to talk. She refused to come down at dinner, and wouldn't even talk with Susan, who was baffled by the whole situation. After Johnny explained to the older woman what happened, she was able to understand Kaoru's strong, hopeful feelings, but it was still a shock to see the polite and peaceful little girl in such a fit of anger.  
  
For the rest of the night, Johnny kept to himself. He ate dinner, helped with the dishes, then went up to his room and sat out on the balcony to stare at the stars. They glittered like tiny gems in suspended animation that sparked up memories of wanting to fly with Peter Pan, a secret childhood wish he didn't dare share with anyone.  
  
With those memories came ones from when he was a teenager, then a new star flaring on the silver screen, and to when he finally became an adult. Snipets of pictures played across his mind like a movie, and he smiled as some warmed him, became melancholy as others left his heart in mourning.  
  
…Got news of a role, a lead role, that requires a good fighter…  
  
…I don't believe it, my first star role…  
  
…A lie it would be if I said you weren't attractive, Mr. Cage…  
  
…Would you like to join me for dinner sometime…  
  
…I can't imagine life without you…  
  
…With this ring, I thee wed…  
  
…I can't deal with this anymore…  
  
…They think I'm a fake…  
  
…You've been chosen to defend the realm of earth…  
  
…It's not her mind you're admiring…  
  
…The most egotistical, self-deluded person I have ever met…  
  
…Come to LA for a vacation…  
  
…Stay with me tonight…  
  
…I do trust you…  
  
…An eye for an eye…  
  
…Don't leave me like this…  
  
…I'll never leave you…  
  
"Johnny?"  
  
He nearly dropped his glass at the voice that intruded his quite contemplation. Susan stood in the doorway of his room, dressed in a nightgown and slippers, and watching him carefully.  
  
"Yes, Susan?"  
  
"I came to say goodnight."  
  
He looked down at his watch. "Christ, it's 11:30."  
  
Susan rolled her eyes at him. "Very good, I'm glad to see you're not so drunk you can't read your watch."  
  
"I'm not drunk," Johnny grumbled as he stood and went in the room. "But I am tired, so I think I'll turn in also."  
  
Susan nodded. "Good. Tomorrow morning, things will be back to normal."  
  
"I hope."  
  
"I know," she stated firmly, and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Sleep well. See you in the morning."  
  
"Night."  
  
After Susan left, Johnny considered talking, or attempting to talk, with Kaoru, but figured it best to let them both sleep it off.  
  
Unfortunately, he couldn't sleep at all. His mind was too chaotic with the events of the day, and a strange feeling of abandonment that kept swelling up inside him. What if Sonya was really at the dock, trapped in some loophole that made her relive the night she was killed by his ex- girlfriend? Maybe I should check…  
  
It's impossible. She's dead, gone, not coming back. Get over it, his logic replied.  
  
Twenty minutes later, his logic was still trying to convince himself to turn the car around and go back to bed. When he arrived at the docks, logical Johnny was practically screaming to face reality, let her go, and go home.  
  
If only Johnny could let her go, perhaps he would have listened.  
  
The sea breeze ruffled his hair and lifted the sides of his jacket as he approached the black sea. Though he couldn't see the water, he could hear the slap of the waves against the moors. In a way, it was rather tranquil, if you didn't mind the pressing silence of no people.  
  
Then the memories hit like a power surge of pain. Flashing in and out, he felt Balford's blows, he saw Sonya smile at him, he watched Balford die, Nise was laughing, Kaoru was leaning on his shoulder, Sonya was bleeding, falling, dying…  
  
Against the railing he put his arms and scrutinized the area about him to help block out the rush. All wood, ahead a dark ocean, and a few tall lights the cast the dock in a pale yellow glow. Nothing about the setting seemed at all frightening. It was more… dull, to be honest. Dull, boring, and lonely.  
  
Sonya. Would she show up? Or was he just giving himself another reason to try and contest the fact that she was dead.  
  
"Come out, come out, where ever you are," he whispered. And waited.  
  
And waited.  
  
And waited some more.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
He lost track of how long he was out there, listening to the wind and waves, but he could see the sky becoming lighter in the distance. A heavy sigh escaped him. Remotely upset, Johnny did commend himself on not bringing Kaoru out here. He was right; the pain was just too much when hopes were that high. Keys jingling in hand, he said a silent prayer for her, and turned to leave.  
  
But something in the air made him stop. It was a peculiar scent, an odd tang to the misty fish and salt smell associated with the sea. Citrus. It was citrus, and it was familiar to him. As the aroma became stronger, he was hit with the realization that it smelled exactly like the shampoo Sonya used to use.  
  
"Sonya?" And foolishly, he waited for a reply. After a moment of echoed silence, his head dropped as he chuckled without humor. A hand rubbed his face and swept through his hair. "Goddamn wishful thinking," he muttered. Again, he sighed and turned toward the parking lot.  
  
She stared at him without expression, her eyes as mute as her voice, hands still and stiff at her sides, her face so close to his they could have kissed if one moved closer. In shock and surprise, Johnny gasped and blinked and found nothing in front of him.  
  
He suddenly never felt so exhilarated, or so alone. 


	3. Do you believe in ghosts?

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I'm merely using them to entertain you. And in the tone of a public broadcasting service announcer, this story has been brought to you by Exploding Charlie Sheen Productions. "I'm not doing this again!"  
  
  
  
On the drive back to his aunt's house, Cage was confused, happy, upset, and unnerved all at once. He was bursting at the seams to tell Kaoru and Susan that he saw Sonya, but a part of him said that would be a very bad thing to do.  
  
"I saw her, damn it. I know I did. But I can't tell Kaoru and get her hopes up, if in fact I didn't really see her and it was just lack of sleep and my own high hopes. Not to mention Susan will think I'm crazy. Oh, terrific. Yeah, and if the press heard, then I'd be a crazy gay fake." Johnny groaned and put his head on the steering wheel as he sat at a red light. "But she was there! Argh, this is going to drive me nuts!" He chuckled suddenly. "Going to? I'm talking to myself, so I'm already nuts." A pause as the light turned green and he continued driving. "No. No, I can't do that. No, it was probably a trick of the light and she wasn't there. Yeah, but what about her shampoo? That's right, the shampoo… Oh, my God, I'm answering myself now…"  
  
He began laughing again, and found that he couldn't stop. It got to be so bad that he pulled off the road and just let the car run. When he got his breath back, tears were streaming down his face.  
  
"Breath in, breath out. Air good. Breathing good. Hysteria bad." Another bark of laughter. "Sleep. I need sleep." A heavy sigh. "God, Sonya, was that really you? If you're really trapped, how can I help you? Who'd believe me?"  
  
And would you really want her to go?  
  
Johnny shivered, wiped his eyes, and continued home.  
  
  
  
"I'm going back tonight."  
  
Susan stared at her handsome nephew with frustration and desperation. After going through the day of watching Johnny hang to himself, then learning after dinner what had been bothering him so, Susan thought he was high when he mentioned the crazy possibility of Sonya's ghost residing on the dock. She was glad Kaoru had gone to her room willing, as she still didn't want anything to do with her step-father.  
  
"Don't do this to yourself. It was nothing, Johnny, but a trick of the mind. You miss her so much, and you had no sleep last night, and with those stories yesterday, you created a picture in your mind that was so vivid you thought it was right in front of you. But it wasn't. She's dead John, accept it."  
  
"I have to know for sure," he stated firmly, his fist pounding lightly on the table as he spoke. "If it was just a trick, Sue, I won't see it again. But if she's really there-"  
  
"Then you've lost your senses, not to mention your grip on reality." Susan stood and began to pace the kitchen.  
  
"I think we both know I lost that a long time ago," he joked.  
  
Sue sighed. At least he hadn't lost his sense of humor. But humor was not what they needed right now. "Are you going to tell Kaoru?"  
  
Johnny shook his head. "No, of course not. I don't want her to get hurt."  
  
"But that's what you're going to do to yourself if you keep up this nonsense!" Susan half shouted as she slammed her hand down on the table, making him jump. "How are you going to feel when you go tonight and find nothing? Are you honestly going to sit here and say that you'll come back perfectly fine, happy as a blue bird on a spring day? You've told me time and time again how much you loved her, and I can still see it in your eyes when you reminisce, and I know that if you go back there and find that she's gone, really gone, you're going to be devastated." She searched his eyes as she tried to make him understand. "You want Kaoru to be safe, so your keeping her away from those silly lies. Now take your own advice," she commanded softly. "Forget about it, and move on."  
  
Johnny looked at her, and she looked back. Neither spoke, making a heavy silence fall over the kitchen. Finally, Johnny replied.  
  
"I can't do that, Sue. I'm sorry. I have to know."  
  
Her hands flew up in the air and she gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine. You want to put your heart on your sleeve and trample all over it, go for it. Just leave me out of it." And with that, she stormed out of the room.  
  
"Susan…"  
  
"I'm going for a walk. Don't wait up for me." She slammed the door behind her.  
  
His chin fell to his chest. "Shit…"  
  
Knowing Kaoru couldn't be left home alone, Johnny decided to do something he hadn't done in years. Meditate. Setting himself on the floor in the living room, the lights low and the windows open to let in the breeze, he closed his eyes and let himself relax into a mellow state as he waited for Susan to return home.  
  
  
  
Rise, fall. Breath, breath.  
  
Running. Ice. Wind. Chill. Afraid.  
  
Footsteps. Gaining. Slow. Steady. Frightening.  
  
Choking. Air. Lacking. Hot. Burn.  
  
Wet. Seeping. Drip drop.  
  
Door. Light. Translucent. Shimmers. Sparks.  
  
Bells. Flutes. Dancing. Bittersweet.  
  
Growling. Anger. Insanity.  
  
Scream. Pain. Blood. Gunshot.  
  
Help. Me.  
  
Join. Me.  
  
JOHNNY!  
  
Johnny gasped as he came awake, his name ringing like a thousand shards of shattered glass in the back of his mind. Breath coming in puffs, sweat soaking into his damp clothes, he looked around and remembered where he was. Most of the lights were out, and he could guess Susan had returned, but she had chosen not to disturb him. His eyes drifted to the clock on the wall.  
  
2:18.  
  
His eyes widened. He'd been out for nearly eight hours. Never before had he meditated that deeply. It was almost frightening for him. But he felt oddly refreshed and energized, though his heart still pounded against his ribcage. For a moment, he thought of the images he had seen, and another chill swept over his body. The pictures weren't so much… memories, or random thoughts. It was more like... real moments, being played out in the present. And it all seemed to resonate around the docks.  
  
He stood, went for the car keys, and with a decisive nod, turned out the lights and headed out the door.  
  
  
  
It started raining again, around 3:30. Kind of odd, it was, considering there weren't any clouds in the sky. Johnny frowned. Then the wind picked up, ruffling his hair and shirt sleeves. The deck trembled beneath him. Through the thick soles of his shoes, the planks quivered slightly, in even intervals, in steady jolts. The first impression Johnny got was of someone walking along the dock, but no one was there. Completely lit by the surrounding light fixtures, the dock was empty around him.  
  
The vibrations grew stronger. It felt like someone was running. His heart began to pound as the wind blew against his damp skin, making him shiver. And something dark swirled across the dock. It was a black cloud that had the shape of a twister, and it was spinning slightly. Something red began to glow at the middle, and the red dot split into two, before cultivating into the shape of fire filled eyes.  
  
And then the cloud disappeared, and a dark, feminine figure was standing there. The glowing eyes had disappeared, to be replaced by bright white with dark pupils. Johnny stifled a cry of disgust. Nise smiled from the hands that held her head.  
  
…missed you… The wind whispered to him. …need you…  
  
Silver glinted off the gun that appeared in her hand, and it cracked through the air without warning. Johnny jolted, his eyes dropping to his chest to see the blood oozing down the front of his white shirt.  
  
"Oh… God…" His knees gave out under him and he sank to the wet planks. Blood began dripping from his mouth.  
  
…Join me…  
  
Johnny began coughing.  
  
Tap. Tap. Tap.  
  
The decapitated creature was approaching him.  
  
…Join… me…  
  
It was getting black. Not even the rain touched him anymore. He was numb to everything but the hot blood that pooled in his hands and around his fallen form.  
  
A scream pierced the night air. Johnny's eyes flew open to see white fighting black. Hissing. Growling. Scratching, grating cries that made his skin crawl and his teeth grind. A burning sensation crept up from the wound; it spread over his body, until his screams were drowned out by the roaring of the flames  
  
He… Is… Mine…  
  
…Join… me…  
  
RUN JOHN!  
  
Whack. Whack. Whack.  
  
…Johnny…  
  
Rap. Rap. Rap.  
  
…Johhhny…  
  
Drip. Drip. Drip.  
  
…save me…  
  
Sonya…  
  
…Kill me…  
  
Another gunshot. Johnny jerked up from the ground, and suddenly he felt himself begin to retch. He turned his head to the side until the nausea passed. Finally, the white prickled at the ends of his eyes disappeared, and he was able to look around clearly. His head lifted to meet the eyes of Sonya Blade.  
  
She was watching him again, like last night. Mutely. Stiffly. Distantly.  
  
Something was dripping near him. It came from her fingertips. They were dripping with blood. It was running down her arm. Pouring from her shoulder. Flowing from the hole in her chest.  
  
Not again…  
  
Her mouth moved, but only blood flowed from the pale lips. She fell forward to her knees, her jaw was still moving and her body was pitching forward.  
  
"Sonya!" His arms moved to catch her. She fell into him, past them, through him, and she was gone.  
  
…de… ea… fe…  
  
Johnny looked around him, but Sonya and Nise were gone. The wind dispersed, the rain stopped, and his wound had disappeared. He was alone once again. 


	4. Little Miss Muffet

In the large open room, there were only the sounds of light breathing and distant footsteps. It was calm, soothing, and simply perfect.  
  
Without warning, the room became alive with sounds of slapping, smacking, skin against skin and boots against boots. Various shouts and cries pulsed within the array of movements, and from a distance, the two figures fighting looked like they were practicing a wonderful piece of choreography. One stood bare-chested with loose fitting pants and heavy shoes. His partner was dressed in a figure forming black outfit, sleeveless, and with knee high black boots. Her ponytail fell down her sculpted back in a tight, thick braid.  
  
For moments neither gained nor retreated, but soon the female took the upper hand with a vertical double flip in which she brought the heel of her right foot down into the lower back of her opponent. He pitched forward, rolled, and suddenly found himself pinned beneath four limbs, her face inches from his.  
  
"Give up?"  
  
Liu smirked. "Maybe…" With that, he thrust his weight up from his hips, making Kitana tumble over his head. He rolled back onto his hands, performed a back walkover that brought his weight on top of hers, and seized her wrists before she could move. "Maybe not."  
  
Kitana laughed in that way that made his body temperature rise within the space of a breath. "I guess you win again, champion."  
  
"Good. Now where's my prize?" He grinned playfully and leaned his head down for a kiss when he sensed someone behind him. He turned and rose to his feet as a red clothed man entered the room.  
  
"Liu? A letter," the young monk said with a bow. He handed it to Liu and left.  
  
"Who's it from?" Kitana questioned as she stood.  
  
"California, America." Liu shook his head. "Well, I wonder who it could be from." There was a tear of paper and Liu pulled the short typed message from inside.  
  
Liu:  
  
Sonya is in trouble. Get in touch with Rayden. Come over  
  
to California.  
  
Johnny  
  
"Sonya is in trouble?" Kitana asked with much doubt. "I thought Sonya was dead."  
  
"Yeah. It's been three years now." Liu frowned. "I wonder what this really means?"  
  
"Only one way to find out."  
  
Liu took her hand. "Let's go talk to Rayden."  
  
  
  
As soon as one stepped into the room, the first thought to cross the mind would not be, 'Hey, nice room.' It would be more of, 'Shit, where IS the room?' Littering the floor and covering the furniture were books upon books upon newspapers upon magazines about ghosts. In the center of the room, leaning against the headboard of the bed with a nightlight tilted down in his direction, sat the man taking notes from the books. And beside him sat a little Japanese girl, also engrossed in the written articles before her.  
  
To some, the picture may have looked touching or humorous, but to Aunt Susan, it looked quite different. Concerned was an understatement for the emotions she felt as she watched the two throw their lives away on a worthless ghost hunt. Of course, as soon as Kaoru heard of the spirits really inhabiting the dock, from Johnny's wild account of that one night, she had been persistent in helping Johnny help Sonya. Susan was less than thrilled when he agreed, but was slightly reassured when he made the child promise not to go near the docks no matter what. If he caught her slipping out, she would be sent back to their house in LA and would be cared for by the housekeeper and Johnny's close friend Nicole Kidman. And Kaoru kept her promise, staying at home to read more books while Johnny slipped out at night to go and sit at the docks, waiting for something from his girlfriend. Each night he reported no new happenings.  
  
Susan sighed as she leaned against the doorframe and silently observed her relatives. How she wished they would go back home. This quest to save Sonya's 'misplaced' spirit was putting a terrible strain on her, and she knew that when the two seekers realized that all of this was nothing more than a trick of mirrors and tales, she couldn't bear to think of how much it would hurt them both. Especially the little one. The girl had lost Sonya once; it wasn't fair to make her lose the Lieutenant again.  
  
After a week of trying to talk the two out of their foolish pursuit, Susan finally gave up and called in the only person she could think of to help. Perhaps-  
  
The cell phone rang. Without removing his eyes from the text in front of him, Johnny reached over and picked up the beeping box. Susan, who stood in the doorway, heard only about five words escape her nephew's mouth before she heard a knock down below. Quickly turning she headed down the stairs to greet the new arrival, a quick prayer passing her lips that things may get better from here on in.  
  
  
  
Kaoru sat and listened for over an hour as Johnny went into a lengthy discussion with their old friend Jax. She smiled as she thought about him, and all the help he had given to keep her safe during the crisis with the Devil's Destiny. From what she heard from Johnny, he had taken on a new partner after Sonya's death, some guy named Kurtis Stryker who was the leader of a riot prevention group and was promoted into the Special Forces after unintentionally capturing some other guy named Jarek, a member of the Black Dragon group Sonya had hated so much.  
  
Now Johnny was trying to convince him that his dead partner was alive… to a point. By the conversation on her side, Kaoru could tell Jax wasn't taking this with an open heart.  
  
"No, Jax, seriously-yes I saw her… Exactly how she looked that night… I'm not crazy… I want you to come and see for yourself! No, this is not a joke… what do you mean, what am I going to do about it? I'm gonna help her! No, I don't know how- I'm getting help from Rayden and- oh, don't start that again. You saw the boat, didn't you?" Johnny sighed in exasperation. "All right," he allowed as he rubbed his eyes. "Yes, I understand. I really just felt you should know, ya know? Ok, yeah. I'll tell her. See ya later, man. Bye." He pressed end and looked at Kaoru. "Jax says hi."  
  
"Hi."  
  
"He didn't believe me."  
  
Kaoru took his hand. "It's ok. Jax is a tough guy, but he took Sonya's death pretty hard. I can understand why he wouldn't want to believe this. It's just too painful without proof."  
  
Johnny nodded. "Ok. All right, I need something to eat. You want anything?"  
  
"No, I'm good."  
  
"Ok, then." Johnny got to his feet.  
  
"Oh, Johnny?"  
  
He turned with an inquisitive glance.  
  
"What boat were you talking about?"  
  
Johnny smiled lightly as a picture of Sonya with a gun in his jaw came back to him. "Remind me to tell you about it sometime. It'll make a good bedtime story."  
  
Kaoru rolled her eyes. "I don't do bedtime stories anymore, Johnny!"  
  
He shrugged. "Then I guess you'll just have to use your imagination." He turned and walked out.  
  
"Johnny! You suck!"  
  
He burst out laughing as he walked down the steps, but his heart became slightly heavy. If not for the tournament…  
  
"-And I told him that all of this was a crazy idea, but he wouldn't listen to me! So now I don't know what to do."  
  
Johnny looked to the sky and shook his head a bit as he walked around the hall into the kitchen.  
  
"Talking to yourself again, Sus-" Johnny stopped, frozen in place. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Rising with the grace of a cat, the tall brunette stood and turned to face him, a shy smile on her lips and sparks of concern flickering in her emerald green eyes. Her attire was beige, all professional, with a touch of the sultry character she was well known for. Her skirt rose to just the right height above her knees as to give a tantalizing glimpse of her firm legs, and her v-neck left enough to the imagination to drive any man out of his mind. All of this contrasted her perfect posture and accented features, leaving any onlooker dizzy between her royal attitude and seductive appearance.  
  
"Hello, John. You're looking wonderful, as ever."  
  
It took the actor a moment to get his voice back. "Cindy. I-" Johnny stopped and shifted his attention to his aunt. "I wasn't expecting this."  
  
Susan cleared her throat. "I know. I called her last night."  
  
"Sue was very upset," she supplied softly. "I came here as quickly as I could."  
  
Johnny looked at her again, but said nothing. His eyes seemed hot with anger, but his face remained expressionless.  
  
"John?" Susan asked softly.  
  
"Will you leave us alone for a minute?"  
  
She nodded mutely and left the room, her feet padding dully on the stairs as she went to see to Kaoru.  
  
"What are you doing here, Cindy?"  
  
She sighed and sat. "Like I said, Sue called me. She's worried about you. She hoped that we could talk about this."  
  
"There's nothing to talk about."  
  
"Oh, no, of course not. I mean it really is the latest rage to go out and try to save the soul of your dead girlfriend. Everyone in Hollywood is doing it," Cindy snapped sarcastically.  
  
"At least she has a soul," Johnny replied flatly.  
  
Cindy leaned back in her chair, a flinch crossing her face. "All right. Maybe what I said was uncalled for-"  
  
"Quite."  
  
"-But can't we talk about it?" she asked quietly as she looked up at him. "Johnny, this is something very serious and I really feel-"  
  
"That it's none of your business, " Johnny cut her off. "It's great if Susan wanted to invite you over for a week, hey, it's her house. But it doesn't mean you have to get involved in my personal life."  
  
"Personal? Personal! John, are you at all aware of the world going on outside your little universe? It's called reality, sweetheart, and you better get a good grip on it. You've already been labeled a fake, and I'm sure you remember how long it took you to get over that."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Oh, nothing much," she replied flip. "The tabloids have just been going ape shit over the newest story: Johnny Cage Dating Dead Girlfriend. Pictures Inside."  
  
His eyebrow rose. "Pictures?"  
  
"Badly edited cut and pasted remakes. But that's not the point. People are beginning to think your crazy."  
  
"Good for them. I don't care."  
  
Cindy looked taken aback. "What?" she asked in disbelief.  
  
"I. Don't. Care," he annunciated. "It doesn't matter to me. People will think what they want. I'm not going to let my life stop because of it."  
  
"But, your career…"  
  
"I've made enough money off of previous movies to live perfectly well for the rest of my life. If I lose my acting job, fine, whatever."  
  
Cindy sat in stunned silence.  
  
Johnny smirked. "Surprised?"  
  
"Yes. And impressed. You've changed a lot Johnny."  
  
"Yeah, no thanks to you, Super Model. You up and left before you had a chance to see me change."  
  
Cindy bristled. "I'm here now," she stated.  
  
"Because my aunt asked you to come."  
  
"Because I care about you."  
  
Johnny laughed bitterly. "I'll bet! It was quite clear to me when you filed for and signed the divorce papers just how much you care!"  
  
Cindy suddenly stood, anger flashing in her eyes. "Those were difficult times for me, Johnny. There were circumstances involved and I had to make a choice. I never intended-"  
  
"Oh, for God's sake," Johnny spat. "You never intended, ha! I think you meant you never loved. Not surprising, a money hungry anorexic bitch like yourself isn't capable of such a thing!"  
  
"I don't see you having done any better during that time! Mr. Movie Star with an ego bigger than Britney Spear's latest breast implants! You were always more concerned with how great your fighting skills were to how well my day went!"  
  
"Your day consisted of sitting on a beach in a bikini and teasing the eighteen year old equipment boys with your cleavage! Excuse me if I didn't find anything strenuous in that 10 hour activity!"  
  
"You paranoid narcissistic sexist pig!"  
  
"Better than being a two-timing blue light special slut!"  
  
Cindy took a breath. "And you wonder why I left you," she said quietly.  
  
Johnny held her gaze with a hint of hurt, but quickly covered it. "I don't wonder. I just tell God 'Thank you' every morning," he replied evenly.  
  
The beautiful woman nodded. "I'm glad we still have something in common."  
  
"Ha! I knew it! You just admitted you don't care!" Johnny exclaimed, but his tone wasn't harsh. It teetered on annoying and playful, the type of combination that used to make Cindy melt to her feet.  
  
And to his surprise, it worked. Cindy laughed quietly. "I guess you knew it would only take a bit of time to get through, huh?" She shook her head. "I-I'm sorry, about what I said. I didn't mean it. It's just the jet lag and the long hours of seducing the camera boys," she said with a smile.  
  
But the smile Johnny had quickly faded and he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Yeah. Um, the thing about the divorce-"  
  
"Forget it. What's done is done. We need to worry about now."  
  
His head rolled back and his look went up to the ceiling. "Cindy, I appreciate your concern, but this really doesn't pertain to you. I think it's best if you just stay out of it. Ok?" he asked softly, trying to keep from being cold or bitter.  
  
"Did you see the paper today?"  
  
"Huh?" Johnny was momentarily confused by the change in topic. "Uh, no, Susan stopped getting the weekly paper a while ago."  
  
Cindy sighed. "There was an article in the paper. It was about the docks, the murders, and your ghosts."  
  
"What?" he asked quickly.  
  
"Three more people died yesterday."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"And one of them was the man who's been performing the killings." Cindy reached into her purse and pulled out a small piece of newsprint. "Robert A. Cullingham, age 54. Declared mentally ill and was fired from his job as a special effects specialist for Universal Pictures." She stepped closer to Johnny and put a tentative hand on his upper arm. "He had robbed the studio one night and took out a lot of expensive film equipment, as well as a new technology for making holographic projections so actors could get a sense of where they were looking when dealing with non-existing objects. He's been using that equipment to bring unsuspecting victims to the dock to see if the ghost stories were real, scare them, and kill them off." Her voice dropped slightly. "The cops have been hunting him for quite sometime, and they got a tip about a man of his description working at the docks. Apparently, while he was setting up for a spook, the cops found him and took him down, but not before he took out two others, high school students from the area." She paused.  
  
"They have proof, John. These ghosts were created by new state of the art technological enhancements. Even the cops were fooled when they turned them on."  
  
"No…"  
  
"I'm sorry, but it was a trick, like Susan said. It was all fake. With what you saw, I'm just glad you're still alive."  
  
Johnny pushed away her hand. "No, wait. I really saw her. I swear I did."  
  
"You saw a hologram, Johnny. Nothing more. And you were so tired that night-"  
  
But Johnny didn't listen. He turned away from her and stared out the kitchen window. He didn't want to believe her… but was it possible that Sonya really was gone?  
  
"Johnny?"  
  
"I can't. Not yet. I'm going to bed." He turned away from her and left the kitchen. He shut the door in his room and locked it before walking out onto the balcony and falling into one of the chairs. Doubts began to form in his mind, but he had been shot, he saw it, how could a hologram make that? With these different questions, and no concern for what his ex-wife was doing below, he fell asleep. 


	5. And They All Came Marching

Disclaimer: Most ain't mine, so don't sue me for playing with the ones I don't own. I promise to give'em back, as long as they do as I say.  
  
Note: Sorry for the delay, hectic life, but it's ok now.  
  
Dedication: To Tiffany: I'm sorry I didn't make the time to get to know you better, but aside from our differences, you will not be forgotten. Be happy and take comfort in the knowledge that you are always with every person you touched, because we were truly blessed with an angel.  
  
  
  
Nise glared at him with all the love of a queen to a cockroach. Fire blazed in her eyes, reminding him sickeningly of that damned demon sorcerer Shang Tsung. Her hands reached out and clawed at his neck, her fingers sharp as the fangs of a wolf, and they tried digging into his skin, spilling blood, trying to reach his soul. He fought back, kicked, hissed, but nothing worked as his limbs grew heavy and fell slowly to the black surface they wrestled upon. His vision swimming, he looked up through his slit eyes to see Nise gone, and instead, a horrid skull staring back at him, the stench of death on its breath as it leaned down to his neck and began sucking at him. He tried to scream but without sound it came. Then it felt warm, and it changed to a burning intensity as his body was being ripped in two. With a final shriek of silent pain, his body went lax and he watched from dead eyes the skull take on a new face, the face that he knew so well…  
  
His own…  
  
And with a murderous gleam, a blade grew out of the creature's arm, and it slashed through the air. Where once there was nothing, there was a sudden SNIKT, and Kaoru's head rolled next to his…  
  
And Johnny was screaming…  
  
  
  
Thump. Groan. Ouch.  
  
Johnny rolled onto his back and looked up at the ceiling that was farther away than when he had originally fallen asleep. Groggily, he pushed himself up from the floor and untangled the sheets from his sweat soaked body as he regained his breath.  
  
"Well, that was interesting." He stood, stretched, and shivered as he remembered the dream. Weird. Still drowsy, he stumbled over the scattered books and walked into the bathroom, his hand sweeping the wall numerous times before it hit the light switch.  
  
Johnny tumbled back into the bedroom with a silent gasp.  
  
Blood. The room was covered in blood. It seeped from the walls, it dripped down the mirror, it rose from the bathtub.  
  
And in the middle of the floor, two bodies lay drooped over each other.  
  
"Oh my God…"  
  
Kaoru's eyes stared up at a fixed point on the ceiling, her body laying three feet away in a pool of spreading crimson. Her mouth was open in a silent scream, and her foot twitched spastically.  
  
The shaking of the 10 year-old's body made the other slide slowly to the tile floor. With no appendages to hold it in place, Cindy's dismembered body moved through the blood, making it ripple and flow closer to Johnny.  
  
He sat stunned and terrified, unsure of what to do, not knowing how such a thing was possible; his eyes stared at the gruesome sight before him while his jaw moved silently, unconsciously. Something warm ran over his feet, and he looked at the blood that stained him. He gasped and jumped away before a low, hollow moan passed his lips and he fell to his knees, panting, close to retching, close to crying.  
  
He stopped breathing. Something was talking. Whispering. Chanting.  
  
Join me. Join me. Join me. Join me.  
  
It was coming from the bathroom, and his head turned to look, to slowly look.  
  
Join. Me. Join. Me. Join. Me. Join. Me.  
  
They were moving. God, they were dead, and they were moving! Swimming through their own fluids, the arms of his daughter and ex-wife were crawling toward him, their lifeless eyes staring, pleading, demanding…  
  
JOIN ME. JOIN ME. JOIN ME. JOIN ME.  
  
God, they were screaming, they were screaming at him, it's so loud, he couldn't breath, no air, no room, they were scaring him, marking him, tearing into his skin with their terrifying dead eyes, and they were screaming louder, hissing, and biting with their blood covered teeth, and I can't breath, I can't see, scared, paralyzed, I'm drowning, leave me alone, go away, help me, help me-  
  
It screamed and fell on his back, ripped at his flesh, and Johnny watched his heart be torn from his chest as the burning eyes swallowed him whole…  
  
  
  
Whatever brought him awake, it was just in time to keep him from going over the edge. He looked down through the sweat in his eyes, and over the mad rushing of his heart, he watched the waves crash into the wooden pillars with a force uncommon this close to shore. He pulled himself back and sank to the deck, just breathing, waiting for the vertigo to pass, waiting for the dreams to fade and the terror to sink away.  
  
Some time later, Johnny got to his feet and tried to remember when he had come to the docks, as he had obviously fallen asleep while watching out for whatever. His eyes drifted over the police tape some yards down, and he thought again of Cindy's words.  
  
"These ghosts were created by new state of the art technological enhancements. It was all fake…" Cindy's voice drifted in and out of his thoughts, and again his heart became heavy.  
  
Was it all a trick? Was he really just making it up to be true, to soothe his own cracked heart?  
  
Without a sound, he turned from the docks and walked away, his proud demeanor replaced by a defeated, melancholy tone.  
  
  
  
The water rippled once, twice, a third time, before a thousand skitters burst into the air.  
  
When. When. When.  
  
Soon. Soon. Soon.  
  
Bubbles popped on the surface for a fraction of a second, and then they were gone. The water became still, and the silent sea air was undisturbed once again.  
  
  
  
Kaoru sat up with a sneeze. She rubbed her nose, looked at the clock, and rolled her eyes. 3:30. And she was hungry for breakfast. A sigh escaped her while she pulled back the sheets, climbed out of bed, and slipped quietly out into the hall. Her feet padded softly down the carpeted steps and she tiptoed into the kitchen with barely a sound. Her deft fingers were quickly opening a new bag of Cooler Ranch Doritos when she froze.  
  
There were voices outside. She listened carefully, her breath held in place and her movements frozen. No. She was wrong.  
  
They were inside. Quiet whispering between two people, both sounded male. Neither sounded like Johnny. The distance wasn't far, maybe a foot away from the kitchen. Kaoru placed the bag on the counter and reached for the closest weapon she could find. Moving as silently as the intruders, she pressed herself against the wall near the door, and waited.  
  
"I can't believe you made us do this," someone whispered harshly, with the faintest of accents.  
  
"He loves surprises," a second voice answered softly.  
  
'And boy, are you going to love this,' Kaoru thought to herself. She counted down in her head the distance from the doorway to the intruder. Three steps. Two steps. One step. A shadow fell across the floor, and with a mighty high pitched karate cry, Kaoru swung the frying pan in a wide arc right into the trespasser's head.  
  
BONG! THUD!  
  
The first man fell to the floor without moving again. Kaoru ran into the hallway where she heard someone gasp and another man cry out as she brought the pan down upon a tall man in a long trench coat. He crashed to the floor. By this time, footsteps were pounding around upstairs, and a bright yellow light shone down from the lamp at the top of the stairs.  
  
With her back to the light, this gave Kaoru the advantage of having her last opponent momentarily blinded, and she pushed it to the limit as she swung low, sweeping the last guy at the knees. As soon as his back hit the floor, she was standing over top of him, and brought the pan down right between the eyes.  
  
"What the hell is going on down there?!" Susan screamed.  
  
The front door opened, and a panicked Johnny came in.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked in a rush. His hand flicked on the living room lamps, which illuminated the room, and for the first time he noticed the first of the three intruders who lay dazed on the floor.  
  
"Liu!"  
  
  
  
Thirty minutes later…  
  
  
  
Rayden and Kitana helped Liu into the kitchen, and Johnny began to follow when he felt a hand grip his arm.  
  
"You know these people?" Susan asked softly.  
  
"Yeah, they're close friends," Johnny replied with a shrug.  
  
"Must be friends of the fight," Cindy muttered as she came from the bathroom with a cold compress.  
  
"I don't trust them," Kaoru chimed in.  
  
"Oh, you don't trust anyone," Johnny replied shortly as he walked after Cindy. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Susan let me stay the night because you were a bit too… distant… to offer yourself."  
  
Susan came up behind her nephew. "Johnny, if they're friends, why did they break into the house?"  
  
"I don't think they meant to break in…" Johnny looked at Kitana who set herself into a chair and took the hint from the actor.  
  
"Well, we got your letter and Rayden brought us to your house. You weren't there, so he sensed you out and brought us here," Kitana said quietly, as she lowered the cold compress from her swelling forehead. "And figured we were allowed to come in without knocking."  
  
"And then we ran into your bodyguard," Liu mumbled from behind an ice pack.  
  
Kaoru huffed. "You shouldn't have been sneaking around the house," she said defensively.  
  
"And you shouldn't have been using Aunt Susan's good frying pan," Johnny reprimanded with a chuckle. "I thought I made it clear that cooking utensils weren't good combat weapons." He twirled the bent pan in his hands before passing it to Susan, who groaned.  
  
"Though it was quite a thrill seeing the Champion of the Tournament get beaten by a ten year old with a frying pan," Rayden said with a raspy laugh.  
  
Both Kitana and Liu glared at him. "I'd like to beat you with a frying pan," Liu muttered. Suddenly, Kaoru was by his side.  
  
"I can teach you how to hit properly, free of charge" she said with a smile.  
  
"No," Johnny cut in immediately. Kaoru withered slightly under his stern glare.  
  
"Well, John, are you going to introduce us to your friends, or am I going to have to have Kaoru smack you with the frying pan until you remember your manners?"  
  
He smiled. "I'm sorry, I've kinda lost my head the last few days. Susan, this is Liu, Kitana, and Rayden. Friends I met at a, uh, karate tournament. Guys, this is Susan, my Aunt, my friend Cindy, and my step- daughter, Kaoru."  
  
As if to emphasize her importance, the little girl stepped in front of Johnny in a slightly protective gesture.  
  
"She's grown quite a bit," Kitana commented as she nodded in greeting.  
  
"How would you know?" Kaoru replied with suspicion in her eyes.  
  
The tall beauty smiled sadly. "I saw you at the funeral."  
  
Kaoru was silent for a moment before nodding her own head slightly. "I think I remember you, and those two also," she said with a gesture towards the two strangers sitting quietly. "You knew Sonya?"  
  
The three gave a silent affirmative.  
  
Susan gave a dry chuckle. "And that's why you're here? To save a dead woman? Am I correct in guessing that Johnny sent you a letter about this… nonsense?" The elder woman shook her head and began walking out of the kitchen.  
  
"Susan…" Johnny called after her.  
  
"I don't want to hear it, John." She disappeared upstairs.  
  
Kaoru tugged on his arm and gave him an inquisitive look. He shifted his look to Cindy who sighed in return.  
  
"As if it wasn't enough to drag a ten year old into this, now you pull people from another country. No wonder Sue's so upset with you." She flicked her ponytail as she slid from the counter. "Well, I hope you enjoy explaining the news article to them. Maybe you can give them a free tour of the west coast," and with that she bid the guests a short goodnight and walked upstairs.  
  
The kitchen was silent for a moment.  
  
"Guess we came at a bad time," Rayden quipped.  
  
"No, it's ok. I'm glad you came."  
  
"Johnny, what article was she talking about?" Liu asked.  
  
The actor looked down at the dark-haired angel standing by him and cleared his throat. "Kaoru, I'd like you to go back to bed, too."  
  
"No!" she turned on him sharply. "No, I want to stay and hear about this article. And I want to know what you're going to do about Sonya."  
  
"Not now."  
  
"But I want to help!"  
  
He shook his head. "We'll talk about this later. I need to talk with my friends right now, in private. Adult talk. Please go back to bed."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Now."  
  
Kaoru's hands curled into fists and she resisted the urge to punch him, instead holding her head proudly and walking up the stairs without showing any emotion. When the door closed upstairs, Johnny plopped himself in a chair and rubbed his hands over his face.  
  
"Bad day, Johnny?"  
  
"Shut up, Rayden." There was a brief chuckle before the atmosphere turned serious again.  
  
"We're sorry to intrude on you like this, but your letter concerned us," Kitana remarked. Her eyes flickered to Rayden for a moment before returning to Johnny. "Could you elaborate?"  
  
"This is going to be a long story. Anybody want coffee?"  
  
  
  
"So…" Johnny said with a sigh as his hands wrapped around the lukewarm mug. "I'm convinced she's there."  
  
"That's a pretty wild story, Johnny," Liu said as he rubbed his hand over his face. "But I can see why you wanted Rayden. What do you think?" Liu asked to the white haired walking electricity rod.  
  
He sat quietly with his hands folded under his chin. "This article that was mentioned," he finally spoke. "What was that about?"  
  
"A psychotic killer that was using holographic images and killing those who came to see the so called ghosts. He killed two kids before the cops shot him dead. They think that's what was causing the hauntings." His eyebrows moved in a gesture of submission. "And Sue and Cindy agree with it. They think he was there the same night I was, and played a trick on me."  
  
"You think differently?" Kitana asked.  
  
"I don't think. I know."  
  
Rayden stretched and stood as he went for another cup of coffee. He took a sip and looked out the window to the rising sun.  
  
"Absolutely beautiful," he commented. "It's wonderful here. You're lucky Johnny."  
  
"Lucky? Lucky!" he muttered in disbelief. "Rayden, have you been paying attention at all during this discussion?"  
  
The nod was nearly undetectable. "I have. But there's nothing we can do right now."  
  
"Why's that?" Liu asked.  
  
He gestured to the sun, as if toasting the bright rays flowing through the window. "Because it's dawn. All we can do for now is enjoy the nice LA weather and spend some time catching up."  
  
"And at dusk?" Kitana questioned.  
  
Rayden turned to face them. "We prepare to find the truth of these happenings."  
  
"Could she be there, Rayden? Would you be able to tell?" Johnny asked quietly, hopefully.  
  
He gazed at the actor for a moment. "We'll see." He finished the coffee in a quick gulp, set the mug in the sink, and slapped his thighs. "So. How about that tour?" 


	6. Going Under

Disclaimer:  No one in this chapter is mine except Kaoru and Susan.  Everyone else belongs to his or her respective owners.  

Dedication:  I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my close friend, Jing, for the inspiration brought on by her unending quest to excel and succeed in everything she does.  I hope your time in China goes wonderfully.

Aside from the unmasked glances by Susan and Cindy toward the young actor, the day continued on without mishap.  At Rayden's request, Johnny took them around town as they reminisced.  Rayden had changed his clothes, thankfully, and pretty much fit in with everyone else.  But while his friends were laughing and enjoying themselves, Johnny continued to remain concerned.  Kaoru's persistent nature bugged Johnny right up the wall and across the ceiling, but he disclosed no information to her.  Finally, she dropped the whole thing and instead asked questions about his friends, like how they met, and how good were they, and if Rayden really was the Chinese god of Lighting.  

"No," they all said at once, even though they were quite surprised that she knew of him.  They decided to leave her home after that.

When dusk arrived, the four friends ate at Susan's before setting out for a long walk to enjoy the comfortable night air.  Or so they said.  Once away from the house, Rayden transported them to a dark area of the docks, where they emerged without causing suspicion.  Not many people were out, however, and the air was as still as the docks around them.  Water lapped quietly at the moors while a few gulls flew overhead to return to their nests for the night.  Only five small boats were docked somewhere about to feet away.  Any other sea vessels were too far into the dark night to see distinctly.

Johnny moved ahead of the group to a specific spot where, even in the dark, the cement had a noticeable stain.

"Is this where…" Kitana asked quietly.

Johnny nodded, and smiled slightly when he felt her hand on his shoulder.  He walked away and over to the railing, breathed in the salt sea air, then turned back to Rayden.  "Well," he commented, "Do you feel anything, Rayden?"

The thunder god said nothing as he took a place beside Johnny to stare out at the black sea.  Liu and Kitana joined him, and waited patiently.

Johnny, however, wasn't so patient.  "Rayden…"

"Shhh."  And silence settled over them again.  

Becoming slowly agitated with the sea scene, Johnny turned away from the ocean and leaned his back against the railing.  He stood there, waiting for an answer from Rayden, or an appearance from the local residents, when something else caught his eye in the distance.  Headlights.  A car pulled into the parking lot about thirty feet away, and the lights blinked out.  Two figures, one tall and thin, the other shorter but no heavier, stepped from the vehicle to begin their trek to the docks.

Johnny thought he was going to have a coronary when the figures came into distinct view.  

"What the hell are you two doing here?!" he yelled sharply as he ran towards them.  

"You're daughter insisted, and threatened me with one of those damn sais you kept around the house," Cindy replied indignantly.

"Kaoru," Johnny said quietly, an edge to his voice.

"Don't even try it with me, Johnny," Kaoru spat back, startling him again.  "If you're going to save Sonya, then I'm going to help, and there's nothing you can say or do to stop me."

"If you ever talk to me like th-"

"I can take care of myself, with or without your help.  And I'll do it all on my own if I have to, but I'm not leaving."

Liu, startled by Johnny's outburst, followed him in hopes of helping to persuade the recent additions to return to the safety of their home.

Kitana stayed with Rayden who stood stiff and silent, his eyes fixed in the distance.  She tried to sense his channel of power out to the distant spot on the sea, but a greater foreboding blocked out her meditative attempts.  The plopping of the sea below her didn't help, either.  With a heavy sigh, she looked over the railing at the few little bubbles below, and leaned closer to see the fish swimming around.  A sudden movement occurred and Kitana's head was seized in a massive grip before her whole body was dragged over the railing and into the water with a loud splash.

"KITANA!"  Liu ran and leaped over the railing after her and sank beneath the waves.

Johnny ran to the railing to follow Liu when he ran into something.  It was solid but invisible, and Johnny smacked into it with such force that it made him stumble back.

"Rayden!  What was that for?!"  

But the thunder god didn't seem to hear him.  His eyes were fixed on a spot out at sea, and his face was set in a grimace.  

"Ray-"

An insanely large burst of water sprayed the dock as two figures leapt over the railing to land and roll on the deck.  Sputtering water and groaning in pain from hitting the hard wood, Liu and Kitana rose to their knees and waited for the vertigo to pass.  Both looked tired and a bit stressed, but neither seemed harmed save for a long cut across Kitana's arm that bled nearly black in the moonless night.  

Johnny ran over to them.  "What happened?"

It dissipated as soon as it touched the salty liquid, separated into millions of tiny molecules that drifted apart and disappeared in the waves.  But its presence didn't go unnoticed by them.  They drank greedily at the tangy substance, and when all was gone, they grew frenzied with hunger.

More.  More.  More.

When.  When.  When.  

Now.  Now.  Now.

Skitters ran rampant beneath the waves and soon the waves began spewing the spawn that was on a quest for food.  A quest for blood.

From behind him there was a loud scream and a crunching sound.  Johnny turned to see Kaoru and Cindy being stalked by some horrid black creature that was bony and decrepit.  A sword swished in its hands, slicing the air as he came closer.  Fearlessly, Kaoru stepped in front of Cindy, who tried to get in front of her, all while trying to walk backwards, and bringing themselves closer to falling on their backs and into a more uncompromising position.

Johnny moved forward to help them when his feet when up in the air and he landed hard on his back.  Dazed but unharmed, Johnny looked up and into the burning eyes of a soulless creature that somehow appeared before him.  A cutlass was brandished above him, and Johnny rolled away before it could slice him in half.  Quick on his feet, he knocked off the head of the zombie with one sharp roundhouse.  The creature wavered as it felt for its head.  Finding nothing, its movement became wild and reaching, but without sight, Johnny easily avoided its attempted blows.  He disarmed the soldier of darkness and quickly severed its limbs.  It collapsed and squirmed.

"Damn, what does it take to kill these things!"  

Johnny looked over at Liu who was back to back with Kitana and deftly avoiding the five mercenaries that surrounded them.  He heard another scream and turned sharply to see Kaoru put the creature on the ground with a quick twist of her wrist.  Removing the too big for her sai from behind her back, Kaoru thrust it into the creature's neck, severing the head from the body.

Johnny wanted to applaud his daughter but was knocked to the ground again.  Three creatures, small, nagging bug like beings with jagged claws and gnashing teeth, scratched and bit at him.  Their weight kept him pinned down and he could do nothing more than scream as they ate his skin.

The current made Johnny's body jolt and his hair stand on end for a moment, but it fried the creatures into black charred logs of monster.  He easily rolled them off and gave a slight wave to Rayden in thanks.  His relief was killed a moment later, however, when a sudden wave of black and red and glinting metal leaped onto the dock, growling and moaning and screeching in anger.  

A new invasion had begun.

Johnny's main concern was getting his daughter and ex-wife off the docks and somewhere safer.  Then he wanted to destroy every single one of the bastards.  Then he wanted some answers.  Then he wanted a good hot meal and a long night's sleep.

But no one ever gets everything they want.

His attempts at reaching the woman and child were many but futile.  More creatures kept blocking his way, and the harder he fought to get through, the more they appeared out of nowhere.  Rayden seemed eager to help, but could only get a few bursts out ever so often.  A pained, concentrated expression was on his brow, and somehow he was able to avoid being touched by any creature on the dock.

Liu and Kitana seemed to have worked out a pattern that kept them always guarded, always fluid, and always to the advantage.  If not for the chaos about, Johnny would have likened it to a dance, with them being the central gravity that pulled everything in and pushed it away to pull it back again.  Neither fighter seemed stressed or tired, but Johnny knew they couldn't hold out forever.  

As for Kaoru, she held her own better than Johnny expected.  Movements slightly more sparodic than fluid but hitting each mark with a solid connection, the young girl kept Cindy and herself protected fairly well.  But her youthfulness couldn't match the increasing skill of the undead warriors, and soon the two were swamped.  

Johnny's heart sank in terror as he watched the two disappear underneath the cloud of black.  "KAORU!"

Another brilliant flash lit up the deck.  The creatures screamed and writhed then disintegrated into ash, revealing the two cowering women underneath.  Johnny didn't even bother thanking the thunder god for his interference, focusing more on helping the ladies up and getting them away from the docks.

"You both have to leave, now!"

Cindy barely nodded, too much in shock to be firm about anything.  Kaoru, on the other hand, would have none of it.

"I'm not leaving.  You need my help."

"You're not skilled enough to be helpful."

"Look what I did just now!"

"Then stay with Cindy and protect her, just leave here n-"  

"Look out!"

He spun in time to see the sharp dagger fall toward his heart.  With no time to sidestep, he raised both his arms and crossed them at the wrists to make an x, stopping the descending arm with the blade inches from his face, and twisted his body around to throw the creature to the ground.  His leg lifted in a fully vertical axe kick, and he crushed the skull into three crumbling pieces.

            "Come on!"  Johnny seized both Cindy's and Kaoru's hand and began pulling them away from the docks.  He dodged and weaved through the masses of creatures that came at them, and had to take brief pauses to actually fight the hordes off.  But Johnny's determination to get his ex-wife and daughter to safety kept him moving, and soon they were heading toward the parking lot.

Johnny froze.  Something was terribly wrong.  The night had suddenly become dulled into a near silent state.  Then a trembling.  A soft sound of something pounding into the earth.  It slowly grew louder, and Johnny realized what it was.  Hoof beats.  

From the shore about 200 feet away, shifting shadows crept up onto the beach, each one taking on a distinct form and moving in a graceful way.  They merged then separated to come together again in a cloud of inky blackness with flashes of steel and scorching eyes.  They rode up onto the pale white sand, majestic knights that have decayed and rotted into horrifying creatures, and once valiant steeds that portrayed strength and beauty now resembled nothing more than skeletons of desecration.  

"Oh, great," Johnny muttered as the captain of the band of horsemen spotted them, howled a great sound of anger and destruction, and charged the three mortals.  He looked from side to side frantically, trying to find a place to hide, but was left with open land.  Dead soldiers blocked them from the right, the horsemen charged from the left, the parking lot was distant behind them, but too far to outrun the galloping soldiers, and the ocean lay ahead of them, clear and merciless.  

"When did that get here?" Kaoru quipped suddenly, turning the adult's attention to her hand pointing off in the distance.  Bobbing silent in the rocking waves was a yacht, its lights completely black and its picturesque sails hanging limp.  Though it was clearly a personal ship, it looked more like a small casino cruise ship than someone's outing vessel.  

An odd rush of fear swept through Johnny's body, but he quickly set it aside.  Any port in a storm, he thought.

"Who cares where it came from, they can't get us if we're on deck," Johnny commented quickly, an arm gesture referring to the oncoming horsemen.  He began leading the two girls toward the ominous ship.

"Wait, Johnny, what if those things are crawling all over it?" Cindy asked, the panic in her voice making it higher than normal.

"Those horses will be crawling all over us if we don't get somewhere safe, preferably where they can't reach us.  Come on!"  And once the horsemen pass, maybe there'll be an opening long enough and safe enough to get Kaoru and Cindy away from here, Johnny said to himself.

The three ran quickly toward the ship, with Johnny leading to ram through the soldiers that attempted to block them.  Kaoru's heart was pounding in anticipation and in fear, but her devotion to the woman who saved her life more than once was unstoppable.  As the large yacht loomed ahead, Kaoru caught a flash of something in the corner of her eye.  

Kaoru… help…

Her feet slowed as her body tensed, and she turned in the direction of the soft whisper.  Standing near Rayden, skin death white and hair limp, Sonya waved frantically for the little girl, who blinked several times as she stared at the strange apparition.  Then, Sonya called again, and ran to the side, where she disappeared behind a cluster of soldiers trying to get the best of Liu and Kitana.

"No, wait!"  Kaoru changed direction without stopping and ran at full steam through the growling creatures to the combatants.  So focused on finding the drifting spirit, the girl never noticed the three creatures that crowded up behind her, or the pale hands that snatched her up before she was fractioned into three pieces.   Her scream of surprise was contorted and lost as the world shifted around her, shapes blurred in a watercolor motif, and she became dizzy as her body became weightless.  

She dropped to the ground with a thump that kept her down momentarily.  The cement bricks under her hands were cool, firm, and ancient.  White padded shoes entered her view, encouraging her to look up into the gray eyes of the man that saved her.

"You'll be safe here.  I will return soon."

Orange and blue filled the room, a crash thundered in her delicate ears, and when she looked again, Rayden was gone.

Johnny grabbed the ladder and encouraged Cindy up when he realized something was out of place.

"Kaoru?!"  He searched wildly through the oncoming warriors.  "KAORU!"

"Johnny, please hurry, they're coming!"

"I can't find Kaoru!"  Johnny was about to run back into the horde when Cindy shouted above him.  

"She's there!"

Johnny followed her aim of direction toward Liu and Kitana, and just caught a glimpse of Rayden seizing her then disappearing in a bright ball of light.  Relief flooded his veins for a moment.  

"Come on, John!"

The insistent tugging on his shirt brought him back to the present and he leapt onto the ladder as he scaled up and over the top.  

"In the cabin," Johnny urged.  The two hurried across the damp deck and into the dark captain's cabin that lead down into the passenger area.

Unbeknownst to them, the door leading back to the deck slammed shut and locked itself; a shudder ran through the expansive yacht when the engines roared up, the anchor rolled in, and ghostly hands of mist began pulling the luxury boat out to sea.

Ahem, ok, well, that's the end of this chapter.  I have a couple more, and perhaps after some revisions, I can bring this thing to a close.  And Lilsweet, this is just for you.  Thanks for your review.


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